Over $106,000 dollars raised by Jeremy Snook raffle

Brian and Gail Snook standing in front of the grand prize of the raffle in their sons name // Jaryn Vecchio - Harvard Broadcasting

The 2nd Annual Jeremy Snook Raffle can be marked down as a success.

Over $106,500 was raised for renovations of the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre Palliative Care Services.

“We want to thank everyone for all their support over the past couple of years and just the donations that people make for Jeremy… we’re very thankful,” said Gail Snook, Jeremy’s mother.

She alongside her husband and Jeremy’s father, Brian have been raising funds for the services after their experience. Jeremy, who passed away from brain cancer at 19, was using one of the rooms which was to small for all three, having just a bed and a washroom. Conversations about the end of his care had to be made in the hallway.

“When they say they didn’t have the ending they would of hoped for, to be able to have a space for their family and friends and stayed overnight and have a more home like experience they mean it,” said Cindy Amerongen, Executive Director of the Health Foundation. “They represent the same things for other families and we really want to keep our families together.

The renovations will include new patient suites with a family room, an extra bed for family, a new washroom, a food preparation room and a quiet room for all difficult decisions.

Before the winners were announced speeches we’re made by Amerongen and the previous director Susanne Chaffey.

Emotions were high when Jeremy’s story was told for a crown of 50 by Chaffey, Brian and Gail being very emotional, comforted each other holding back all the emotions trying to come out.

“It was a lot of emotions, there are no words to describe the feeling that we were going through but very emotional,” said Gail trying hard to hold back all the feelings.

With the $97,000 they raised at last year, and $30,000 for the in-memorial campaign, they have raised a total of $233,500 for the services.

“We made the best of what we had and knowing what’s coming in the future, we’ll be proud, we”ll make Jeremy proud,” said Gail.

As for the raffle itself all 425 available tickets were sold, with 330 tickets in for the early bird draw. Anticipation and excitement grew once the two winners were announced.

Terry Power of Fort McMurray won the grand prize of a 2016 Dodge Laramie Megacab Diesel 4×4 with sled deck and a 2016 Can-Am 850 XT Quad. Ron McKenzie won the secondary prize, being a modest $10,000 dollars.